Panel construction



June 18, 1940. QBERMAYR 2,204,818

PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 27, 1939 INVENTOR RUDOLPH OBERMA YR ATTO RN EY I Various metal panel constructions are in exeach of the inwardlyextending flanges'is illus-eb 5 a panel construction from two metalsheets firmthe numeral 11. The next section extends out-5:

n vide a panel construction from metal strips havto the section l8, to apoint substantially in line' l20 '30 out departing from the spiritandscope of the 0f the extensions is composed of three sections,

Patented June 18, 1940 2,204,818

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE PANEL CONSTRUCTION Rudolph Obermayr,Astoria, Y. Application July 27, 1939, Serial No. 286,746

9 Claims. (01. 189-34) This invention relates in general to panelcondouble grip on each of the flanges and thus struction and moreespecially to a metal panel avoids lateral shifting of the metal sheetsl2 construction of superior rigidity adapted for and I3 when the panelunit is completed and inmany uses. stalled. One advantageous manner ofshaping tended use as doors, wall partitions, hospital trated in Figure2, although it will be understood cubicles, metal furniture, cabinetsand the like. that other shapes may be employed for accom- In themanufacture of such panel constructions, plishing the same purpose of myinvention. it is essential to have the metal sheets firmly Asillustrated, each of the flanges l4 and I5 is 10 held or lockedtogether. bent at three points so as to provide three sec- 10 It is anobject of my invention to provide a tions in each flange extending inthree different panel from two metal sheets firmly held togetherdirections. The first section of each flange isat by their edges by alocking strip. a right angle, or at an approximate right angle, It isanother object of my invention to provide to the metal sheets l2 and I3as indicated by 1y held together by a locking strip adapted to wardlyfrom the section II, as indicated by the grip or look the edges of saidsheets at a plurality numeral 18, and each flange extremity 19, which ofpoints. is the last of the three sections on each flange,

Still another object of my invention is to proextends inwardly atapproximately a right angle ing their edges shaped to engage or grip alockwith the right angle section I].

ing strip at least at twopoints. The molding or looking strip I6 isadapted to With these and other objects in view, which firmly engage orgrip the inwardly extending may be incident to my improvements, theinvenflanges l4 and I5 at two points on each flange,

25 tion consists in the parts and combinations to and thus provide arigid assembly. The strip'725 be hereinafter set forth and claimed, withthe IB, of which there are four in number, to cover understanding thatthe several necessary elethe edges of the panel, have an arched orcurved ments comprising my invention may be varied in outer surface 20and a pair of extensions adapted construction, proportions andarrangement withto resiliently engage the flanges: I4 and 15. Eachappended claims. the first section 2| being formed by bending the I haveshown in the accompanying drawing, metal inwardly and parallel to thecurved surface means for putting my invention into practical 2D. Informing the sections 2|, which extend effect without limiting theimprovements in their inwardly to contact each other or at most withusefulapplication to the particular constructions, a relatively smallspace between them, it is im- 35 which for the purpose of explanation,have been portant in order to secure the desired engaging made thesubject of illustration. or gripping action, to have at least that partof In the drawing, the section 2i contacting the section 18 parallelFigure 1 shows a perspective view of a comto the section l8, as shown inFigure 2. 4, pleted panel embodying my invention. The next sections 22of the extensions project 40 Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View of ap01- away from the curved surface 20 and preferably tion of one end ofthe panel. form a triangular shaped space betweenthe sec- Referring nowto the drawing, a metal panel 'tions 22, the purpose of which will belater exil is formed. by marginally flanged metal sheets plained. Theextremity section 23 of each exten- I2 and I3. The metal sheets l2 andiii are prosion is bent inwardly towards the curved surface 45 vided,respectively, with inwardly extending 2i and is sloped in such a manneras to be parflanges I4 and I5 shaped to engage a molding or allel to thesection IQ of the flanges l4 and I5. locking strip It. It is preferredto make the Byarranging the sections 23 substantially parflanges I4 andI5 integral with the metal sheets allel to the sections 59 another pointwherein the which are originally stamped out in flat condilocking stripengages or grips the flanges of the "50 tion and thereafter bent attheir edges to form metal strips is: thus provided. the flanges. Themolding or looking strip I6 is somewhat The inwardly extending flangesl4 and 15 are resilient to firmly hold: the metal strips together shapedto be engaged by the locking strip IS in under a resilient tension. Ihave shown the such a manner that the locking strip exerts a strips I 6as being narrower than the thickness 55 of the finished panels to enablethe ends thereof to firmly seat themselves in the juncture between thesections I! and I8. In this manner the resilient properties of the stripl6 enables it to firmly grip the flanges of the metal sheets. The spacebetween the sections 22 provides a restricted area for inward movementof the extremity sections 23 to enable a firm grip on the sections l9and at the same time brings the parallel sections I8 and 2| in firmengagement with each other.

It will thus be apparent that when the molding or looking strip l6 hasbeen joined to the metal sheets l2 and I3 there is provided a doublegripping or looking action between the strip and flanges. One of thegrips is effected between the parallel sections l8 and 2| and the otherbetween the parallel sections I9 and 23. In this manner the metal sheetsare firmly locked together and the possibility of lateral shiftingthereof is avoided.

While I have shown the molding strip l6 as being narrower than thepanel, it will be understood that it maybe of the same order ofthickness as the panel. Moreover, while the sections 22 are shown asforming a triangular space between them, it is not essential that such aspace be provided as the double grip locking arrangement can also beaccomplished with these sections somewhat parallel to each other. Thespace between the metal strips may be filled with a suitablesound-deadening filling material 24, such as cardboard, fibre or thelike.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself tothe precise details of construction herein set forth, by way ofillustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of the invention orextending the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal sheets havinginwardly extending flanges,

each of said flanges having a section extending at substantially a rightangle to each sheet, another section inclined outwardly from thefirst-mentioned section and a third section inclined inwardly from thesecond-mentioned section towards the center of the panel and means forinterlocking in a tension grip the second and thirdmentioned sections ofsaid flanges to hold said metal sheets together under tension.

2. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal sheets havinginwardly extending flanges, each of said flanges having a sectionextending at substantially a right angle to each sheet, another sectioninclined outwardly from the firstmentioned section and a third sectioninclined inwardly from the second-mentioned section towards the centerof the panel and a molding strip for holding said pair of sheetstogether under tension, said molding strip having a curved outer surfaceand two separate sections adapted to firmly engage in a tension grip thesecondand third-mentioned sections of each of said flanges.

3. A panel construction comprising a pair of metal sheets havinginwardly extending flanges,

each of said flanges having a section extending at substantially a rightangle to each sheet, another section inclined outwardly from thefirstmentioned section and a third section inclined inwardly from thesecond-mentioned section towards the center of the panel and a moldingstrip for holding said pair of sheets together, said molding striphaving a curved outer surface, a section at each end bent substantiallyparallel to said curved surface, another section extending away fromeach of said parallel sections and a third section extending from eachof said sec- 0nd sections toward said parallel sections, the

flrstand third-mentioned sections of said molding strip being adapted tofirmly engage, respectively, the secondand third-mentioned sections ofeach of said flanges.

4. A metal construction comprising a pair of metal sheets havinginwardly extending flanges, each of said flanges having two flatsurfaces extending in different directions and means adapted to firmlypress against each of the two flat surfaces on each of said flanges in adirection to hold said pair of sheets together under tension.

5. A metal panel construction comprising a pair of metal sheets havinginwardly extending flanges, each of said flanges having two extendingsurfaces projecting in different directions and means adapted to firmlypress against each of the two extended surfaces on each of said flangesin a direction to hold said pair of sheets together in a double gripunder tension.

6. A panel construction comprising a pair of sheets having inwardlyextending flanges, each of said flanges having sections thereofproviding" flat surfaces, and means having at least two points adaptedto press against each of the two surfaces on each of said flanges in adirection to hold said pair of sheets together under tension 8. A panelconstruction comprising a pair of metal sheets having inwardly extendingflanges, each of said flanges having a section extending atsubstantially a right angle to each sheet, another section inclinedoutwardly from the firstmentioned section and a third section inclinedinwardly from the second-mentioned section toward the center of thepanel, and means having sections adapted to engage in a tension grip thesecond and third sections of said flanges to hold said pair of sheetstogether under tension.

9. A metal panel construction comprising a pair of metal sheets havinginwardly extending flanges, each of said flanges having two extendedsurfaces projecting in different directions, and

means having two extended surfaces adapted to press against each of thetwo surfaces of said flanges in a direction to hold said pair of sheetstogether in a double grip under tension.

RUDOLPH OBERMAYR.

